pull the wool over someone's eyes

Deceive or hoodwink someone, as in His partner had pulled the wool over his eyes for years by keeping the best accounts for himself. This term alludes to the former custom of wearing a wig, which when slipping down can blind someone temporarily. [c. 1800]

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Example Sentences

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“One thing that really bothers me is that the people who got conned seem to feel humiliated and ashamed — similar to how many people feel ashamed when they have been sexually assaulted. This is not something to feel ashamed about. The scammers are skilled manipulators of emotions and natural human desires and fears. They know exactly how to ‘pull the wool over someone’s eyes.’

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So he would say, oh, this one right here, and then he told me the story of the deal and how he somehow managed to pull the wool over someone’s eyes and managed to get it for half of what it was worth.

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pull the rug out from under pull through

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